THE South African Ballet Theatre is getting ready to move into its new home, located at the Johannesburg Civic Theatre in Braamfontein, at the end of this month.

Bernard Jay, CEO of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, says construction of the building, containing the two dance studios, was completed on Wednesday last week.

In September, the South African Ballet Theatre announced it was moving its headquarters from Pretoria to the Civic Theatre in a move which has been seen as a cultural coup for Johannesburg.

Jay says the new art gallery, which was built by the Johannesburg Civic Theatre, opened on Saturday March 6. Called The Premises, the gallery is being run by art gallery operators The Trinity Session.

Both projects the dance studios and the art gallery, which are valued at R6,2m were funded by the City of Johannesburg, the Johannesburg Development Agency and paper company Sappi.

"The Civic Theatre is a major part of the arts and entertainment life in Johannesburg and as such the more added value we can give to our patrons the better," says Jay.

The added value is provided by a four-step project the first step being the opening last year of the Actors' Centre.

Jay says the next step was the News Cafe, which opened at the theatre last year. "Then came the art gallery early this month and now the dance studios," he says.

Jay says construction had been ongoing for the past two years and "we are all relieved that it is coming to an end".

Mar 17 2004 07:36:07:000AM Nick Wilson Business Day 1st Edition